Mets Rumors: Brewers' Craig Counsell to Interview for NY's Manager Opening

The Milwaukee Brewers have reportedly granted manager Craig Counsell permission to interview for the New York Mets' managerial opening.

According to SNY's Andy Martino, the Brewers' original plan was to deny interview requests until Counsell's contract officially expires at the end of the season, but they changed their mind.

The Mets' manager position became available at the end of the regular season when New York parted ways with Buck Showalter after just two seasons at the helm.

Counsell has been the Brewers' manager for the past nine seasons, posting a 707-625 record with three National League Central titles and five playoff appearances, all of which came over the last six years.

While Counsell has spent nearly a decade as the Brewers' skipper and played six seasons in Milwaukee before that, he and the organization have been unable to come to terms on a contract extension.

In August, Brewers owner Mark Attanasio suggested to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (h/t Erich Richter of the New York Post) that contract talks with Counsell had stalled, and the two sides decided to focus on playing out the rest of the season.

The Brewers went 92-70 and won the NL Central, but they were swept by the eventual NL champion Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League Wild Card Series.

Although the Brewers have been among the most consistent teams in the NL under Counsell, they have not advanced beyond the National League Championship Series, and they fell in the NLWC Series in three of their past four playoff appearances.

Despite their overall success, the Brewers now face the possibility of having to find a new manager to replace Counsell this offseason.

If Counsell is offered and accepts the Mets' job, he will be taking over arguably the most disappointing team of 2023.

Under big-spending owner Steve Cohen, the Mets went 101-61 in 2022, and although they were upset by the San Diego Padres in the NLWC Series, expectations were sky high in 2023.

The Mets underperformed to a huge degree, however, resulting in the organization trading away some of its top players, including veteran starting pitchers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer.

Their winning percentage of .463 was their worst in a full season since 2017, and it resulted in Showalter's ouster.

It is possible the Mets will need a year or two to reshape the roster and get back to World Series contention, but they could be playoff contenders as soon as next season with key players such as shortstop Francisco Lindor, first baseman Pete Alonso, outfielder Brandon Nimmo, starting pitcher Kodai Senga and closer Edwin Díaz under team control.

Given what Counsell was able to accomplish with a relatively modest payroll in Milwaukee, the potential in New York would be through the roof with Cohen's financial backing.